The Syrups. 1537
Context
In Paris 1537 Servetus wrote Syruporum universa ratio. In
this work Servetus demonstrated a deep knowledge of the Greek
medical works of Galen but as a humanist, he did not hesitate
to correct him, if observation proved him wrong. His knowledge
of ancient and contemporary works was astonishing --he cites
Galen, Hippocrates, Avicenna, Rhazes, Oribaso, Manardus (Giovanni
Manardi, 1462-1536), Aristotle, etc. He reversed himself on
the teachings of the Arabs, advising a critical approach to
their works and did not follow blindly one school or the other.
But in the theoretical analysis he supported the Hippocratic
physiological and medical concepts. The problem concerned
the use of syrups for digestion, called at that time, the
"concoction." The Arabs supported the idea that
the syrups enhanced the independent vis concotrix, whereas
the Hippocratic school, supported by Servetus, followed the
idea of the vis medicatrix naturae: "... there is no
need of the syrups for the normal concoction (digestion) if
the organ is not affected: in this case sleep, rest, massage,
baths, drinks and foods moderately warm are sufficient."
Some excerpts
"Syrups are neither worthless nor should they be
accepted blindly"
Prints
Syruporum universa ratio, ad Galeni censuram diligenter expolita.
Cui, post integra de concoctione disceptationem, praescripta
est vera purgandi methodus, cum expositione aphorismi: Concocta
medicari. Michaele Villanovano authore. Parisiis Ex officina
Simonis Colinaei. 1537. (Several editions of the work appeared,
in Venice in 1545; in Lyon in 1546, 1547, 1548).
Translations
English: was published by Charles David O'Malley, Michael
Servetus. A Translation of his Geographical, Medical and Astrological
Writings with Introductions and Notes, (Philadelphia: American
Philosophical Society, 1953), pp. 55-167
Spanish: Razón universal de los jarabes segun inteligencia
de Galeno por Miguel Villanovano (Miguel Serveto). Traducida
al Español por el Dr. J. Goyanes Capdevila ... Madrid,
Imp. de J. Cosano, 1943). And by Ana Gómez, Tratado
universal de jarabes, Madrid, 1935
|
